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KOHALA COAST — Mauna Lani Bay Hotel &Bungalows released five healthy honu (Hawaiian green sea turtle) into the sparkling blue waters of the Kohala Coast that front the hotel on Tuesday.
The honu are received from Oahu’s Sea Life Park as juveniles, and raised in the saltwater ponds of the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, where they are cared for until they grow to a size and weight that are deemed appropriate for release into the wild.
In the spirit of independence, the release occurs every Fourth of July. This year was a special celebration – it was also a birthday for each of the five turtles released. The 3-year-old turtle was hatched on July 4, 2014, and the other four, all 2-year-olds, were hatched together on July 4, 2015.